St. Paul Brands debuts two effervescent analgesics in the U.S.

By Michael Johnsen

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. St. Paul Brands, a division of Affordable Quality Pharmaceuticals, on Wednesday introduced two new effervescent over-the-counter analgesics, which the company claims is a popular formulation in Europe but new to the American market.

The first is AsperDrink, containing 81 mg of aspirin; the second is AcetaDrink, with 500 mg of acetaminophen.

“When you’re in pain or have a fever, you want the fastest relief possible,” stated Henry Smith, vice president of research and development for St. Paul Brands. “Taking aspirin or acetaminophen in an effervescent form will accomplish this for you.”

A 2000 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology comparing the rate of absorption between ordinary and effervescent tablets concluded that “the mean time was significantly shorter when effervescents were taken (27 minutes) rather than ordinary tablets (45 minutes),” the company stated.

Packaged in a box of 30 effervescent tablets, AsperDrink has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $6.49, while AcetaDrink is $6.99.

St. Paul Brands offers a line of effervescent vitamins and over-the-counter drugs in addition to dietary supplements.